Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
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Extension Communications |
10/20/03
For immediate release
Contacts:
Sam Beattie, Ph.D.,Food Science and Human Nutrition, (515) 294-9484, beatties@iastate.edu
Diane Nelson, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-3178,
dinelson@iastate.edu
Food and Feed Processors Face December Deadline
AMES, Iowa--Grain elevators are included in new federal registration requirements that the Food and Drug Administration released last week. The Bioterrorism Act of 2002 requires FDA to develop mechanisms to protect the United States food supply. One component is registration of food and feed manufacturing, processing, holding and packing operations. Animal and pet food manufacturers also are included in the registration requirements.
"FDA announced the interim final rule on Oct. 10," said Sam Beattie, Iowa State University Extension specialist in food science. "All domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture or process, pack or hold food for human or animal consumption must register with the FDA by Dec. 12."
Retail outlets such as grocery stores, restaurants and most food service operations are exempt, as are farms and those facilities regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including egg, poultry and meat processors. However, processors of most other foods are required to register. The list of foods follows the Code of Federal Regulations definition of foods found in 21 CFR 170.3 and includes dietary supplements, infant formula, and herbs and spices.
"The registration information, the list of registered facilities or any other information from the registration is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and therefore all information submitted will never be released to the public," Beattie said. "Processors that fail to register by Dec. 12 may be subject to penalty by the FDA. No fee is required for registration. Registrants will be given a unique code number."
Online registration is available at http://www.access.fda.gov/. Assistance is available by contacting the FDA directly at 1-800-216-7331 or by email at furls@fda.gov. A downloadable form is available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~furls/papercd.html.
More information is available at the Iowa State University Food Safety Web page at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/bioterrorism.cfm.
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